Chapter 10: Motherhood

Retsuko's eyes almost spun after hours of nonstop crying from her three babies. Retsuko looked at pictures of her with Haida and their children. The five at the hospital, coming home, their christening, and with their grandparents. Breathing deeply, Retsuko held her knees.

"When I count to ten, I'll be a dutiful mother."

Retsuko forced herself up with a determined expression and immediately went to work. She changed their diapers, nursed them, and tried to ease their endless wails. The diaper genie filled up faster than she hoped, and the crying last all day.

Retsuko felt her body tremble, and her eyes turn white with a somewhat crazed look as she patted Ichika's back, trying to relieve her gas. Retsuko heard her daughter belch and sighed when she finally stopped crying. However, the moment she stopped, Tatsuya and Sakura started crying.

Retsuko's right eye began to twitch. She couldn't help but think back to her desire to escape work years earlier. Now she was there until her maternity leave ended. Perhaps she could handle one child, but three? Retsuko's rage flared up again when she saw a picture of her mother. She'd been there for most of the pregnancy but now left after the children were born. Meanwhile, Haida worked his duty day at the battalion and left her alone with the kids, not by his choice, but still.

Retsuko gently rocked Sakura and Tatsuya, trying desperately to calm them. Just as they began to quiet down, Ichika wailed once more.

"Rage."

"Babies! Crying all day, more dirty diapers than I can count! Outnumbered three to one, my mother and husband nowhere to be found! Babies! Babies!"

Moments later, the door opened, and she saw Haida walk-in. In his eyes and face, she'd seen the same stress and fatigue she'd experienced so many times after a long day of work. Retsuko readied herself to continue her rage. However, rather than speak, Haida removed his camo jacket and walked over, taking Tatsuya and Sakura from Retsuko's arms.

Haida laid them down on a changing table before swiftly changing their diapers. After doing so, he set the babies down in their playpen and took Ichika in his arms, gently rocking her. Haida didn't look angry or agitated, merely tired. Upon seeing this, Retsuko exhaled deeply and smiled a little.

With her children now taken care of, she walked to the kitchen and began cooking dinner. During her mother's extended stay, she forced Retsuko to learn how to prepare home-cooked meals. As Retsuko cut the carrots, her eyes nearly turned crazed again as she saw her reflection in the microwave glass and realized she looked just like her mother when she cooked.

"...I've become my mother..." Retsuko trembled for a moment.

Later that night, she set all three children down in their cribs while Haida played a gentle tune on his guitar. All the stress and fatigue from his day at work and caring for the children melted away into love. A deep and passionate smile filled his face, and Retsuko's. She set Tatsuya down and kissed his snout.

Standing over all three cribs, Retsuko began to sing with Haida's guitar. Rather than her heavy-metal voice, Retsuko sang smoothly in tune with Haida. Both lost themselves to the music and the love for their children. After a few minutes, the three infants were fast asleep, and their parents exhaled deeply as they sat down on the couch together.

Retsuko wrapped her arms around Haida tightly and rested her head on his shoulder.

"A few years ago, you asked me if I wanted a housewife. I said no. Yet here we are." Haida chuckled.

"Only until my maternity leave ends...Then we have to leave the kids in daycare..." As tiring as taking care of her children was, Retsuko still feared the idea of someone she didn't know watching her children.

"Who said anything about daycare. Your mom might have been busy these last few weeks. But between her and my mom, I doubt we'll need to send them anywhere."

Hearing that put Retsuko at ease. Her mother could be a handful, but she trusted her and Yuuri.

"Thank you for coming home and helping me right away."

"Ehhh, work was stressful, but if being a soldier has taught me anything, it's service before self." Haida felt Retsuko tighten her grip around him.

"In all honesty, it's not that bad. Just a lot of projects to work on is all. Not all that different from the accounting department. Are you excited to go back to work eventually?"

Retsuko's eyes narrowed for a moment, and she lost herself to thought.

"...I, I don't know."

"Well, let's not think about then. You still have a while."

Haida felt Retsuko's lips press against his, a soft noise escaping her mouth.